Teen with traumatic brain injury not only survives but thrives

Fifteen-year-old Pete Benda's family was told he may never wake up from a coma following a 30-foot fall. See how well he is doing now, in part two of the series "The Child First and Always."

Mary Richards

SANDY - Nearly 18 months ago, Pete Benda, a freshman at Juan Diego High School, fell 30 feet while getting the lights ready for a theater production. At first, his family was told that he may never wake up from a coma, but it's unbelievable how well he is doing now. Benda joked around with his parents as he cooked some eggs in their Sandy home. The 15-year-old suffered a severely broken femur and a traumatic brain injury, but he is not only surviving, he is thriving.
"I'm the .5 percent," he said. "We say Pete's our miracle," said his mother, Chris Benda. She said after her son's accident Oct. 26, 2012, he was taken to a hospital for 2 1/2 weeks. But when they started talking about nursing homes, they moved him to Primary Children's Hospital, which has a neuro-rehab unit on the second floor. "We say the first hospital saved his life, but Primary Children's saved our boy," Chris said. She was told 90 percent of people with his type of TBI remain in a vegetative state. "He came out of his coma Jan. 6 and started talking," Chris said. Pete was there 111 days. "I met so many good people at Primary's," he said. "I love that place." "Pete always said he was the mayor of the second floor," Chris added. And, the prayers of a community pulled him through. "People of every denomination, every faith were praying for Pete," she explained. "Prayer does work," Pete said. He still faces some challenges and continues therapy and treatment, but he is now back at Juan Diego High School for his sophomore year with the help of an aide. He also is on the lacrosse team. "Everything happens for a reason, and I am not going to change that," he said. "Even if I had the power to go back and reset it I would not because it just makes who I am." Pete and his family remain close with the doctors and nurses who saved him. "They are our family," Chris said. "They are there to support us, even after leaving the hospital."%3Cimg%20src%3D%22http%3A//beacon.deseretconnect.com/beacon.gif%3Fcid%3D152701%26pid%3D46%22%20/%3E